Swimming: Proud as ... to be a Kiwi

Zoe Baker is hoping to bring home some medals for New Zealand at next year's Commonwealth Games. Picture / Simon Baker

As a "leap year baby" Zoe Baker only gets to really enjoy her birthday every four years.

In between her "Olympic year birthdays" she has, however, had plenty to celebrate including the four times she has broken the world 50m breaststroke record.

And, she hopes, the celebrations will continue with New Zealand swimming the benefactor of any future record-breaking deeds.

Baker, English-born but living in New Zealand since 1996, has switched allegiance and plans to swim for New Zealand at this year's world championships and beyond.

Upset at suggestions she is some "Jenny-come-lately" and just here for the ride and somehow depriving a New Zealand swimmer(s) of funding, Baker makes clear her objectives for the four years she feels she still has in the sport.

"I have not swum for New Zealand in the past - that is right - but I have a house and car here, I pay my taxes," said Baker, 28, in reply to those who have questioned her motives. "I got residency in 1999 and New Zealand citizenship in 2000. I have raced here since 1976."

Swimming since she was eight years old at the Eckington Swim Club in North Derbyshire just outside Sheffield, Baker had a go at all strokes "except freestyle" but quickly realised breaststroke was her forte.

"I can still swim 29sec for the 50m backstroke and can do a pretty good 50m butterfly," said Baker, who won a black belt in karate as a 14-year-old, using that sport to supplement her swim training.

"It was good for discipline, speed work and flexibility."

Baker said she promised her father she would break the world record for him. That breakthrough came in 2002 when she broke the 50m breaststroke mark for the first of four times.

"The record I set in Manchester put me a half a second ahead of the world. I would like to lower it further next time as a New Zealand swimmer."

In the madcap one-length dash over 50m, Baker needs 27 strokes to get to the other end of the pool. And, 27 breaths. A freestyler can cover the same distance with just breath.

Baker has her sights set on being the first woman to break 30s.

"When I broke the record in Manchester, I knew I could have gone faster. It was not the fastest pool and I swam a far from perfect race."

She will have her first serious outing of the summer season at the national championships in Wellington from March 29-April 2, where she will aim to qualify for this year's world championships.

Her focus is on the 50m but, she adds, she will swim the 100m breaststroke if asked if it means helping qualify a 4x100m medley relay team for the world championships.

Swimming New Zealand president John West welcomes Baker's decision to swim for New Zealand.

"At one stage she was a New Zealander. We treated her as such. She set New Zealand records but then opted to represent England," West said. "We welcome her as one of our swimmers. I'm sure she has plenty to offer.

"If she was to win gold for New Zealand at next year's Commonwealth Games where, unlike the Olympics, the 50m breaststroke is on the programme - that could earn New Zealand Swimming a healthy bonus under the incentive scheme that Sparc have in place."

New Zealand Swimming's director of coaching Clive Rushton has no doubt Baker has plenty to offer.

"We can only benefit from having a swimmer of Zoe's ability here. I have no doubts if she swam 100m she would be our fastest," Rushton said.

"Annabelle Carey swam the 100m at the Olympics and we have three other good breaststroke swimmers coming through. Zoe will only help them.

"I would love to see a world-class breaststroker in New Zealand.

"Zoe Baker is a New Zealander. She is an exceptional trainer and racer. I definitely see a place for her in New Zealand swimming." 

Targets

To qualify for international meets, New Zealand swimmers must meet selection standards as follows.-

2005 world championships: Swim target times at March-April national championships.
2006 Commonwealth Games: Swim target times, long course at Waitakere Aquatic Centre, December 2005.
2006 Pan-Pacs: Swim target times Melbourne Commonwealth Games (March 2006) or national championships April 2006.

Zoe Baker

Born: February 29 1976, Chesterfield, England.
First club: Eckington Swim Club, North Derbyshire.
First international honours: 1992 European sprint championships, Finland.
Commonwealth Games: Manchester 2002.
World Championships: 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003.
World record: 50m breaststroke 30.57s, Manchester 2002.